Word: rajiv
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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...Rajiv Gandhi has been criticized as too inexperienced to head the world's largest democracy and handle the present situation in India. When Indira Gandhi entered politics, she lacked experience, yet she emerged as a good leader. India is a country in shock and anger, but Rajiv Gandhi can lead India in unity and peace, perhaps better than his mother...
...gently scattered his slain mother's ashes into the thin Himalayan air from the open hatch of an Indian air force transport plane. Then Rajiv Gandhi, 40, returned to New Delhi last week and boldly took Indira Gandhi's place in the oak-paneled Prime Minister's office. His first official act was to assure his fellow citizens, via nationwide radio and television, that he would honor his mother's democratic, nonaligned policies. Rajiv then confidently called parliamentary elections for Dec. 24. One opposition candidate: Maneka Gandhi, 28, the widow of his younger brother Sanjay...
...Rajiv faces two daunting tasks: to quell the sectarian violence that surfaced most recently when Hindus turned upon Sikhs following Indira Gandhi's assassination, and to restore the integrity of his government, which is riddled with corruption. "Mr. Clean," as Rajiv is known by many supporters, did not waver. Said he: "No quarter will be given to the corrupt, the lazy or the inefficient...
After that initial bow to foreign affairs, Rajiv concentrated on restoring order and confidence to Indian life. He lost no time in establishing a commission of inquiry, headed by a Supreme Court justice, to investigate the slaying of his mother. He visited the ravaged, riot-torn areas of his capital in a tour that the pro-Gandhi National Herald declared "had an efficacious and reassuring impact on the morale of the people." Then, in answer to chilling claims that the police had simply shrugged their shoulders or looked away while the bloodbath continued, the new Prime Minister fired the Lieutenant...
...Hindus, at great risk to themselves, organized units for defending Sikh dwellings; some gave sanctuary to their Sikh friends; others offered medical aid to the wounded. Moved by such gestures, 13 prominent Sikh writers and intellectuals issued a statement to "put on record our gratitude to our Hindu brethren." Rajiv also pledged that the government would pay fixed amounts for every Sikh wounded or killed and for every home damaged ordestroyed...